An interview with Silvia Lerch from Move4YPD on June 29, 2023 by George Ackerman, Ph.D, J.D.
Please tell me a little about your background and what got you involved with awareness.
I am a project manager. Schools: elementary school, high school, commercial employees, organizer training, test manager training, project management training.
Club Move4ypd: 2016 starts one year of the diagnosis. Association founded in 2017, members over 60 from the whole Switzerland. And it’s growing. Average age 53 YEARS.
Many appearances on TV and newspapers, educate and make Parkinson’s known to the Swiss people. 50% don’t know what Parkinson’s is. I’ve been on sick leave for almost two years and I’m fighting with insurance companies to get my right to pension money.
That’s me.
Move4ypd also has 2 Self-care groups, one Aktive and one online. And a sport Group Ping pong Parkinson Swiss National team with 16 People. I’m very proud of this team, so good people and friends.
Can you tell me more about your organization?
Move4ypd has about 70 members, average Age 53, the youngest is 23 years old.
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
Move4ypd helps me to accept illness, it brings me together with other sufferers and I can help other people. Awareness is very important; cause so many people they don’t know what Parkinson is.
What type of goals do individuals with Parkinson’s have when working with you?
To understand the illness, to speak with others and talk about Experience with medicaments, doctors, and lots of other things they have young sufferers. Family things, job…… Children.….
What type of training and how long are the programs?
We are three Groups of people. The Onliners, the Activ people and the sportive people ping pong Parkinson Switzerland. I build up this in Switzerland!
Ping Pong Parkinson.
What effect can it have on an individual with Parkinson’s?
The people know, there is an organization/people who can help me in every situation.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your programs?
À better work together with the big main Organization Parkinson Schweitz. It’s a shame how they are working.
What events do you participate in?
Nordic walking event in the main city of Switzerland, trekking tours, a music project, demonstrating in Bern and world championship Table tennis in Austria.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
If you had one final statement or quote you could leave for the Parkinson’s community, what would it be?
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but to learn to dance in the rain.